COMMENT: He's earned this. The confidence. The trust. Erik ten Hag has earned the leeway to roll the dice on Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United...

Crazy money? Of course it is. 64 million quid up front. Another £8m due in bonuses. All for a player who cost Antonio Percassi, the Atalanta president, an investment of £12m just a year ago. You just wonder who's scratching their head more, the board at Sturm Graz or the staff at FC Copenhagen, who jettisoned a teenage Hojlund the previous year as he couldn't get a game. Indeed, pity those who did the deal at Sturm Graz last year. £12m would've appeared satisfactory at the time. But now? Particularly after we learn the Austrians failed to include any sell-on percentage in the deal...? You fancy head scratching is the least they're doing in Graz today.

But Hojlund was no teenage wonderkid. At least not in Denmark. It was only this season - and the hype built around his impact with La Dea - that saw Kasper Hujland grant the young striker a first Denmark cap. And it wasn't like Hujland had been unaware of Rasmus, the Denmark coach having played with his Dad, Anders, at B93. But those struggles at FCK clearly had an influence.

Now two years on and Hojlund is a Manchester United player. Ten Hag has his centre-forward. And Percassi, again, sits on top the clear winner.

In tandem with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the concept of buy low and sell high is epitomised by Atalanta. Cristian Romero. Robin Gosens. Amad Diallo. Gianluca Mancini. The list goes on and on. And now we can add a young Dane to Percassi's market triumphs.

The money, at least from an outsider's perspective, is crazy. But Percassi and his board weren't simply chancing their arm in negotiations with United. They knew they had something on their hands. A potential world-beater. And it's that confidence Atalanta brought to the negotiating table which should strengthen the case for Ten Hag and this outlay.

Indeed, Gasperini was talking up Hojlund before Christmas. Before the hype. And even before United's scouts had become regular ticket purchasers from the stadium box office. He'd only worked with Hojlund for a matter of months, but he knew they had something special.

"Technically and in many other aspects, I have almost never seen such a strong striker at the age of 20," said the veteran coach.

"Nevertheless, he has great room for development. In several situations such as in the aerial game, in the box or the last pass. He can get better there.

"When you see a player at that level, the top European clubs will flock around him, and there will be offers that are difficult for Atalanta to turn down."

Potential. Quality. A technical base that Gasperini had never seen in his 25 years of top-flight management. And something, clearly, that can be honed and developed with the right coaching and guidance. It was La Dea's scouts whom spotted this - and it will be United's coaches who will be left to exploit it.

"I can see him at Manchester United," said United midfielder Christian Eriksen of his newly-capped Denmark teammate in June, "but I haven't recommended him to Erik ten Hag.

"He is a fantastic guy and a good player and has really developed brilliantly at Atalanta."

This is part of what Ten Hag is buying. The quality. The ability. It's all there. But there's also momentum. An upward trajectory in Hojlund's progress that Ten Hag spies. Indeed, as wild as Hojlund's price-tag is, the question can be raised - if that momentum had continued into the coming Serie A season, what price then for the Dane?

Gasperini again, just last week: “The market is unpredictable... I hope for €100m for Atalanta.

“As one of the young players in Europe, Hojlund is among the best, if not the best."

Okay, okay, Gasperini obviously had his salesman's hat on for that soundbite. But couple that quip with his pre-Christmas comments and it's clear there is a real sense of excitement around Hojlund and what he could offer La Dea for season 2023/24.

Certainly the wily Luis Campos thought so. PSG's transfers chief had an offer of £45m tabled - and rejected - last week. Campos is no mug. Indeed, he's among the most talented sporting directors in work today. If the Portuguese sees something in Hojlund, it's worth taking note.

There were doubts about Lisandro Martinez's height. Questions about Casemiro's motivation. And skepticism over Christian Eriksen's fitness. But they all proved Ten Hag right last season. The Dutchman has shown he can pick a player. And with Champions League qualification and the League Cup under his belt, Ten Hag has surely done enough to warrant this gamble.

And Hojlund is a gamble - there's no doubt about that. But Ten Hag has earned this - even at this price.